Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors in California. BLS OES + DOL OFLC + reader-reported submissions. How this is built →
Salary distribution
Where California educational, guidance, and career counselors fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $63,910 and $119,790, with a median of $86,500.
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors in California: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 45 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $68,245. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 31 | $62,088 |
| Level II — qualified | 13 | $74,610 |
| Level III — experienced | 1 | $96,000 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors in California. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Novel Prep | Academic Advisor | 4 | $61,723 |
| University of California, Berkeley | Admissions/Recruitment Specialist 3 | 3 | $92,321 |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE | ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT COUNSELOR | 3 | $58,610 |
| LEAP EDUCATION | ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION COUNSELING | 2 | $80,000 |
| Lincoln University | Diagnostic Imaging Program Coordinator | 2 | $61,693 |
| Pepperdine University | Assistant Director of Int'l Affairs for Int'l Student Eng. | 2 | $75,717 |
| The University of Southern California | International Student Programs Advisor | 2 | $60,878 |
| 7EDU Impact Academy Inc | Academic Advisor | 1 | $62,088 |
| AITE Institute | Educational Advisor | 1 | $51,605 |
| AITE INSTITUTE | Academic Enrichment Counselor | 1 | $54,000 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION COUNSELING at LEAP EDUCATION$80,000IrvineWage Level IIDecided —I-200-26084-730693
- Academic Counselor at American English College$74,360Monterey ParkWage Level IIDecided Feb 10, 2026I-200-26034-616759
- Assistant Director of Int'l Affairs for Int'l Student Eng. at Pepperdine University$80,434MalibuWage Level IIDecided Jan 29, 2026I-200-26022-581106
- Counselor/International Student Advisor at La Salle High School of Pasadena Inc.$80,000PasadenaWage Level IIDecided Jan 28, 2026I-200-26022-578821
- Career Advisor at UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC$74,838StocktonWage Level IDecided Dec 9, 2025I-200-25337-452446
- Guidance Counselor at HEYDAY CULTURE MEDIA INC$74,360Diamond BarWage Level IIDecided Dec 8, 2025I-200-25335-446369
- Sr. Educational Counselor at InGenius LLC$96,000PasadenaWage Level IIIDecided Nov 17, 2025I-200-25311-387554
- Restorative Schools Manager at Western Justice Center$78,500PasadenaWage Level IIDecided Sep 16, 2025I-203-25252-295091
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
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Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors pay by experience level in California
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors specialties in California
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 11 certified offers. The most common variant is ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT COUNSELOR at a median of $66,367.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT COUNSELOR | UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE | 4 | $66,367 |
| Educational Counselor | AMERIGO EDUCATION, LLC | 4 | $77,600 |
| Academic Advisor | Novel Prep | 3 | $68,245 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in California over the past 3 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2025 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Master's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
- 4.8 / 5
Therapy and Counseling
Knowledge
- 4.4 / 5
Active Listening
Basic skill
- 4.3 / 5
Social Perceptiveness
Technical
- 4.3 / 5
Speaking
Basic skill
- 4.3 / 5
Oral Expression
Ability
- 4.2 / 5
Psychology
Knowledge
- 4.1 / 5
Reading Comprehension
Basic skill
- 4.1 / 5
Service Orientation
Technical
Common tasks (O*NET)
- 01
Provide crisis intervention to students when difficult situations occur at schools.
- 02
Confer with parents or guardians, teachers, administrators, and other professionals to discuss children's progress, resolve behavioral, academic, and other problems, and to determine priorities for students and their resource needs.
- 03
Identify cases of domestic abuse or other family problems and encourage students or parents to seek additional assistance from mental health professionals.
- 04
Counsel individuals to help them understand and overcome personal, social, or behavioral problems affecting their educational or vocational situations.
- 05
Counsel students regarding educational issues, such as course and program selection, class scheduling and registration, school adjustment, truancy, study habits, and career planning.
- 06
Review transcripts to ensure that students meet graduation or college entrance requirements, and write letters of recommendation.
- 07
Maintain accurate and complete student records as required by laws, district policies, and administrative regulations.
- 08
Provide students with information on topics such as college degree programs and admission requirements, financial aid opportunities, trade and technical schools, and apprenticeship programs.
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+3.5%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Average growth
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Explore coursesTop metros in California
Metro-level salary data for educational, guidance, and career counselors in major California metropolitan areas.
- Sacramento$100,930
- Riverside$96,780
- San Jose$95,390
- San Francisco$94,600
- San Diego$83,520
- Los Angeles$79,000
Compare Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors pay across nearby states
Considering a move? Compare California with another state
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors in California?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors in California is $86,500.
- How does California compare to the national median for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors?
- The California median is +28.5% versus the BLS national figure of $67,290.
- What is the salary range for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors in California?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $51,890 and the 90th-percentile at $136,660, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 3.5% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Educational, Guidance, and Career Counselors?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Master's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.